Harii Bandhu: Journal

Takamine endorses Harii Bandhu! - December 5, 2006

The world-renowned guitar brand TAKAMINE has recently added Harii to it's roster of world-class musicians.
He is in esteemed company - other artists to be endorsed by Takamine include: John Scofield, india.arie, Linkin Park, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Live, Rammstein, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Stewart (ex-Eurythmics) and The Eagles.
Harii is proud to fly the Takamine flag and is pleased to have earned a place with such a prestigious and well crafted instrument-maker.

In May 2004, I received a letter from a lady, nay a Goddess, whom I'll call 'Jane', that touched the very core of my soul. Her story was so moving that it took several times for me to read the letter without being overcome. I would like to share this letter with every one, as it is only recently that I have met her in person, and 'Jane' has consented to my wish to include her words on this web site. Please read her story. At the letter's conclusion I will tell you a bit about our meeting.

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Dear Harii
'Music has charms to soothe a savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.'
With thanks to William Congreve 'The Mourning Bride' (1697), 1.1

In the deep mystery that is life, you don't get any more mysterious then this.....It is pure energy. In its most beautiful form.

My Kahuna therapist visits the Eumundi Markets. She sees you perform, and thinks 'This would be great for my massages.' I turn up for my blessed weekly session, and she plays your magical CD 'Inner Mystical Sound'. It infuses the already infused energy of a blissful Kahuna so much that, even in my blissed out state, post, I ask her what the music was, and ask to borrow it.

I take it home, already intrigued by its message of spirituality, depth, and pop on my headphones, to really listen to it. It is a totally wonderful experience. Something in your music, lyrics, connects to something very deep within me. I know I will play it often and never tire of it. Little did I know.

A short while later I find out I have a brain tumour. And, what is already a transformed life, transforms itself again. One of the side effects is loss of hearing. It is sudden and shocking beyond belief really.

Because of my deeply felt spiritual beleifs, I know I must use this time, this knowledge, to deepen and crystalize my spiritual path. The medical aspect is beyond me, the spiritual, emotional, is not. I go to it. As only a Presbyterian can....
Part of this involves using the music I love so much, that is so much a part of my everyday life, and which always has been, to help myself. Your music is paramount here, as it speaks so much to the reformed ideas and beliefs I now hold. I also realise that I'd better listen up, as the clock is ticking.

Much happens. The force of destiny, hope, leads me to cutting edge treatment in Sydney. -Radiation - perhaps the greatest form of light we have. By this time I am listening to your music every day -as I do my regime- and I know every inflection, twist and turn, as only an aficionado can. The last time I listened this closely to music was when I was, say 6, listening to my favourite radio tune, on a small transistor, perched under my pillow. Something memorable, like 'A little Polka Dot Bikini'. I am an ancient, so this may have been before your time.

In the meantime, I am using my kahuna sessions to help with the shock, and to come to terms with what has happened. We play your music every time. My favourite parts? 'I'm drowning in a pool of nectarine.' And... 'I feel your hands take away my pain.' Pure Kahuna magic. (You will know when and if you try this what I mean!)

I listen everyday, to see if my hearing is still there. It is. Much reduced but holding. How do I know this? Listening to your music through my headphones. It is marvellous stuff Harii.

I go to Sydney, stay at Coogee Beach, and, looking out at the great ocean, play your music while I do my regime (Some things never change... It's all priorities don't you know?) just before going to the hospital for my treatment. I go every day, and see suffering on a scale that is hard to imagine. And help, compassion, on a scale that is equally hard to imagine. Life and death all in the waiting room together.

I am locked in a room with some of the most proficient, kindest young people I have ever met. You need a death sentence to get into this room. They know it, I know it. It is profound as it gets. My life depends on this working. So in a perfect moment of complete disempowerment, I am put into a space suit, locked onto a table, left alone, lights out and the deadly-life giving rays put into my brain tumour, but not the rest of my brain and the tumour is sitting on my brain stem. Imagine such a thing. It is a perfect spiritual lesson.

To infuse the moment with some humanity they suggest I bring some music which they will play while I have my treatment. Have a guess what? I have only one piece of music with me - yours. So, dear Harii, I find myself somewhere in outer space, completely in the power of the forces of the Universe, and what am I listening to - booming out - 'Drowning in a pool of nectarine', 'You are amazing!', 'I've shared a moment with an Angel', 'These little things are so sublime', 'Silken sheets dyed in the colours of truth', 'In love with life' and 'What will be, will always ever be'. It is a sublime juxtaposition of science and humanity. Completely sublime.

How am I? Still coming down to earth. Alive. Enjoying the days. During my treatment some died, some were in wheelchairs, some so ill from the treatment they wished they were dead. Then me. I lead a profoundly spiritual life, many Buddhist beliefs, a few Presbytarian ones, exercise, kahuna, strict diet..... You get the picture. All these things helped me so much. So much.... 'It's what we've got and ain't nottin'', as Chaucer once wrote. Music connects us to our soul, and your music has and continues to help me in every way imaginable during a pretty unimaginable time.

Thank you. For the heart and soul you put into this album, for all the moments you took to pop in a laugh, a sigh. It all communicated to me. Loud and clear, in its whimsy, its charming way, its seeking to express the yearning of the human heart. It is just marvellous.

As in all perfect spiritual lessons, I shall not know the outcome (whether this was successful or not) until August. So I have this moment to ponder my fate and use it to take me to the next spiritual level. Which I am doing. Part of this was a promise I made to myself, as I lay pinned down to a table, alone in my space suit, the light of the radiation going straight into my tumour, (a very big moment, I'm sure you'd agree) to let you know how much your music has helped me. And every therapist in that room (a highly diverse bunch) remarked on it, and asked me who it was, and what some of the words meant. I told them. There's nothing they haven't seen or heard, so I thought you'd especially enjoy their comments.

Now I'm back in Brisbane, I continue to play 'drowning in a pool of nectarine' every day, and at my Kahunas - still- and if I come through this, I have an amazing life ahead of me. And your music will come with me wherever I go, whatever I do. We have a history together and it brings me such joy.

I was thrilled to speak with you on the phone today. I planned to write but never thought we would speak. The artist's life is not an easy one. Especially in this country. You mentioned today that you saw yourself as a conduit - this is absolutely right. Anything that helps people connect with the divine, the infinite, within themselves, is so important to the human race. Music has the power to do this.

As a great Buddhist teacher said, 'You've got to get it out there'.
Keep up the 'war' work,
All my thanks,
Jane

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So dear people. I am truly blessed to have had the experience of such a soul as this, make contact with me. I have cried at the sheer bitter sweetness that life sometimes shoves in our face. Jane's courage and inner beauty shines in its inspirational way, to illuminate quite clearly that life is beautiful. Always! No matter what!!

I must admit that it took me some time to respond to her letter as I was somewhat overcome, and then there was this sense of 'What do I say to that?!'
But I did and my written communique was warmly received. With love and acceptance.

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Jane in person where she joyously exclaimed that the tumour had been destroyed. She was cured. Jane has eyes that bore to the depths of your soul. If you ever meet her, you'd better not have anything you'd want hidden, because she'll see it. What struck me about her was her inner joy. It gushed forth effusively. It was a truly remarkable and momentous experience for me and many of her experiences were recounted with the fresh flavour of a newborn.